This invention relates to dispensing apparatus and methods, and in particular rolled paper dispensing apparatus for delivering in an efficient manner absorbent paper products such as toilet tissue, paper towels and the like. More specifically, this invention pertains to a dispenser capable of receiving new rolls of paper product, with or without a core.
Commercial and consumer absorbent paper products typically are distributed and dispensed from rolls. Rolled paper products may be dispensed, stored and maintained using a hollow cylindrical core which forms the support structure about which the paper is wrapped. Most paper toweling and consumer toilet tissue products contain a cardboard core, and the rolled product is often dispensed by mounting the core on a spindle, which passes through the core of the roll. In some cases, a mounting structure operatively engages each end of the core, thereby suspending the rolled product to facilitate dispensing of the paper.
Large or jumbo sized toilet tissue rolls are dispensed in restrooms of commercial buildings and in other locations where high volumes of rolled paper products are needed. Typically, these large size rolls include a core in the center of the roll. Usually, the rolls are mounted in dispensers so that the core of the roll is supported on an axis of rotation within the dispenser housing. These large size rolls may be largely invisible to the consumer, as they often are protected in a locked housing which dispenses the paper to the user at its lower margin or edge.
Some conventional large roll dispensers include a housing cover that can be removed only with a key to facilitate reloading the dispenser. Other dispensers employ a hinged housing cover which must opened or moved laterally to facilitate reloading the dispenser. Reloading dispensers is a time consuming task for maintenance personnel. In general, it is desirable to provide a process for reloading dispensers in a manner that is efficient and simple. One challenge in commercial dispenser design is to provide a dispenser that may be reloaded easily and quickly, but still offers security to the rolled paper product, thereby protecting the dispenser contents from vandalism and theft.
Coreless rolls of paper product are employed in applications where it is desirable to avoid using a core in the center of the rolled product. Coreless rolled products may be manufactured as provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,148 to form a depression in the side of the roll that facilitates supporting and dispensing the roll. Devices capable of dispensing coreless rolled paper products have been disclosed as provided for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,576. Another patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,985, is directed to a method of treating a coreless roll to create a mounting hole in at least one end of the roll to provide a self-supporting roll for mounting in a rotary dispenser.
An assembly for dispensing an absorbent paper roll is provided having an interior space and an exterior cover. The assembly includes opposed support members, wherein the support members are adapted to engage sides a paper roll. The support members are mounted on the interior of the housing in spaced relation to each other. In some embodiments of the invention, there are projections within the interior space of the housing. The projections are adapted to engage the sides of the paper roll to form a fixed mounting axis from which the roll may be dispensed. Further, the assembly is adapted for automatically receiving and mounting a paper roll within the interior space of the housing upon the insertion of the paper roll into the housing.
The invention comprises a method and apparatus for more efficiently and easily dispensing paper products, such as toilet tissue, from commercial wall mounted dispensers. The dispenser may be reloaded, in most instances, by way of a single operation that usually requires only one hand. Further, the housing protects the paper a simple reloading procedure without the necessity for using keys and the like to gain access to the housing. The invention may comprise spring loaded projections on the interior of the housing that are adapted to receive and suspend within the housing rolls of paper tissue. Doors within the housing are configured to allow insertion of a new roll of paper into the dispenser when located in the open position. Further, such doors suspend the tail (end) of the paper roll for easy access to the tissue user when the doors are in the closed position.
In one embodiment, the projections are spring loaded. The opposed support members are biased against the sides of the paper roll in one configuration of the invention. The paper roll may contain a core, or alternatively, may be coreless. If the paper roll is coreless, the roll is supported within the housing by projections capable of articulating with indentations or spaces in the sides of the paper roll.
An assembly for dispensing a coreless absorbent paper roll is presented including a housing having an interior space and an exterior cover. Further, opposed support members are adapted to engage the sides a paper roll, the support members being mounted on the interior of the housing in spaced and tensioning relation to each other within the housing,
The assembly is adapted for automatically receiving and mounting a paper roll within the interior space of the housing upon insertion of the roll into the housing. The assembly may comprise a release mechanism to facilitate the release and removal of a paper roll from the assembly prior to depletion of the paper roll. In one embodiment, the assembly includes at least one door capable of holding the tail of a paper roll in spaced relation to the housing. The opposed support members typically are flexible, thereby facilitating engagement with opposite sides of the roll as it is inserted into the housing.
At least one projection is actuable between: (a) a fully erect position for engaging a mounted paper roll, and (b) a disabled position to facilitate removal of a mounted paper roll from the assembly. Removal of a paper roll may be desirable, for example, when only one-half of the roll is remaining in the dispenser, and a period of heavy use is anticipated in the near future. The ability to remove a partially dispensed roll assists in preventing the depletion of the roll during a time when no maintenance personnel are available to refill the dispenser, and also when a roll is contaminated. In some embodiments, a release bar is used to actuate a projection, thereby enabling removal of a partially dispensed roll. The release bar may slidably engage the projection to disable the projection, thereby facilitating the removal of a paper roll from the assembly.
The method of mounting an absorbent paper roll in a dispenser is also provided. The paper roll is placed adjacent to the dispenser and in alignment with the dispenser housing, the dispenser housing having elongated support members on its interior. Then, one may insert the paper roll into the housing. Elongated support members may be engaged on each side of the paper roll, activating projections on each side of the paper roll. The paper roll may be supported by articulation of the projections with sides of the paper roll, wherein the paper roll is mounted within the housing and is capable of dispensing paper to the exterior of the housing. The projections may be bullet-shaped spring-loaded units.